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Professional athletes can also be star-struck, as evidenced by Grizzlies rookie GG Jackson’s reaction after chatting with Shaquille O’Neal following a big game against the Warriors on Monday night.
GG Jackson had high expectations when he started his freshman season at the University of South Carolina in 2022. The 6’9″ power forward was the top recruit in the Class of 2023 before deciding to enter college a year early. He averaged over 15 points per game before making the leap to the NBA.
The Memphis Grizzlies drafted Jackson with the 45th overall pick and signed him to a two-way contract. He has performed well with the team’s G-League affiliate and has played in eight NBA games, showing promise for a future in the league.
Jackson scored a career-high 20 points against the Knicks over the weekend, but he surpassed that with 23 points (along with six assists, steals, and blocks) in the victory over the Warriors on Monday.
His impressive performance earned him a postgame interview with the Inside the NBA crew. Jackson, who recently turned 19, couldn’t contain his excitement when he heard Shaq’s voice in his headset.
While it’s too early to draw any definitive conclusions, it’s likely that Jackson will have more opportunities to chat with Shaq and the Inside the NBA crew in the future.
According to the Source brobible.com